This question – have you ever asked it? A sudden halting, confusion, perplexity and then: “It’s a dead end! What a waste!” Invariably, next comes “But I thought it was the will of God! I had clarity, peace and was certain that this is the direction I was supposed to move. Now what? Did I hear wrongly?”
How many times has this scenario played out in your mind when things turn out differently than anticipated? Maybe life takes a sudden, unexpected turn. Or, dreams of the life you built in your mind abruptly come crashing down like a house of cards. Perhaps it was a gradual shifting over a period of weeks or months. The end is the same – it’s different than anticipated and now we sit in perplexity asking “What happened? Where did I go wrong?”
Often, we face change in carefully laid plans: a trip is canceled.
A flight diverted.
The car is in the garage longer than expected.
An unforeseen expense now shadows like a mountain.
An accident, death or illness.
A job lost. A change in living quarters.
A relationship terminated.
If one is not wise and discerning, bitterness and resentment toward God creeps in, taking root in the heart. We think “I had this all planned out, I knew how I wanted it to look; then suddenly the rug was pulled out from under my feet. God, – and this is where we flirt with bitterness – led me forward then left me sitting to figure this mess out.”
No. Just no.
It’s much simpler than that. Knowing God’s will is pretty straightforward.
Things get complicated when we confuse destination with the will of God. When there is a firm picture in our minds as to how something will look. An end result. A destination, outcome.
Opportunities are quickly missed if we are so sure of a specific result or the exact way in which that result is to be achieved. What if it actually might look different than what we imagine? What if the path to attain that result is completely unlike what we desire?
Don’t get stuck on the resentment wheel. That’s a downward spiral you don’t have time for.
Get up, take life seriously and embrace the journey. Embrace it, especially if the journey you’re currently on is light-years removed from what you imagined for yourself.
Folks, this is exciting! Do you see the pattern? It’s not so much about the destination as it is about who we are becoming. How we respond to these unpredicted changes.
This is the essence of life: to cherish what is present. To recognize the person I am becoming through this. Even if it’s different than originally anticipated. The will of God is that I would choose thankfulness in every single circumstance.
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Knowing God’s will is about so much more than a destination. It’s about who we become en route. It’s about growing compassion, kindness and understanding. It’s about knowing the One who walks with us. It’s about developing wisdom. Who we become is much more important than what we accomplish.
And, as stated earlier, His will is pretty straightforward.
What do you need to give thanks for, right now?
Remember, walking in the will of God is more about how we respond to the daily changes and challenges of life than an ideal we hold in our minds.
Go to friend! Walk in His will today. Walk in His will every day. Then, one day you will wake up and say “God, you have done beautiful things in my life. It is above and beyond what I ever imagined!”
You must know everything well before you can know what to discard.
Dorothy Bryant
You must cover pages with material you will not finally put into the book.
That doesn’t mean you don’t use it. It is still there, must be there, an invisible foundation which gives authority to the story.
The planning done on setting is never wasted. Nothing is ever wasted.
If it has been thought through and written, it is still there, in every word which does not mention it.